The top U.S. infectious disease expert has warned that novel coronavirus cases in the country could grow to 100,000 a day if Americans don't start following public health recommendations.
At a Senate hearing Tuesday on reopening schools and workplaces, Dr. Anthony Fauci expressed deep concern about the recent surges of infections in some states saying they are putting the entire nation at risk.
He cited recent video footage of people socializing in crowds, often without masks.
Fauci said the U.S. is not in control of the epidemic and is going in the wrong direction.
Unless more robust action is taken, he said, the daily number of cases could more than double.
The U.S. is now reporting nearly 40,000 new coronavirus infections every day.
As of Tuesday, it surpassed 2.6 million cases while the death toll rose to over 127,300.
Striking a different tone, Vice President Mike Pence hours later stressed they are in a far better position to battle the coronavirus than they were months ago.
Pence said the White House's virus task force is ready more than ever to face the pandemic.
<Photo: Yonhap News>
